HOUGHTON -- The restoration process is currently underway at the Carnegie Museum. The museum houses historical artifacts and information, but the building itself is also a huge part of Houghton's history.
Last year they received a $6000 grant from the Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission, and the museum is matching that amount.
"What we applied to do and what we were given the money for is to restore and renovate what they call the envelope of the building," said Carnegie Museum Director Elise Nelson.
That envelope includes the stone foundation of the building and the trim, which will be scraped and painted back to its original color.
The museum plans on replacing the window shades with a mesh material to keep the sun from causing more damage to the inside of the building.
These are copies of the original architectural plans, and the museum is using them as a tool to help better understand what materials were used during the construction process.
This building is over 100 years old and some of the tile in the entry way will also be replaced.
"The original oak steps had been covered with vinyl treads and they were coming apart. So we've had them removed and we'll restore the steps," Nelson said.
The adhesive and old varnishes that covered the oak steps are being stripped and some of the steps must be repaired before the oak finish can be stained. This process usually takes about a week, but the museum wants to tackle a few more projects before they reopen in February.
The museum says the renovations are important because it will preserve the integrity of the original architecture of the building.
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